Since the beginning
by spoodle monkey
Summary: Sahara, AlDirk SLASH One thing about Dirk was that no matter how many times he left, or how long he was gone, he always came back and Al was there, waiting with open arms.


**Disclaimer: (checks under bed) hmm, well they dont appear to be there, so i believe that implies that i do not own them...too bad...

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**There were 5 things that one had to know about Al:**

**He was 'the wife' in the relationship.** The first time he'd been introduced as such, he'd grown flustered and had quickly explained to the Admiral, that no, they were not in a relationship of any form. Later on, when it was Dirk and himself, he had pretended to sulk at the new nickname, while secretly very pleased with it.

**If anyone were going to watch Dirk's back, it would be Al.** The first and last time the Admiral had sent Dirk off with some caveman with a really large gun and no Al (and major protest), they had come back with only half the treasure, Dirk with a rather large cut and the caveman missing a toe. Needless to say, Al and Dirk could never be separated after that, as whenever the two went off together, miracles were accomplished, generally without any major injuries. Al watched Dirks back and no one was going to change that.

**He would ****not**** fight to the death for Dirks attention.** He understood how it was, really. Some pretty girl would come running by and steal away his friends' attention. With all the adrenaline pumping through them, it was understandable. And while it got annoying and made him frustrated to the point of storming off to be alone, he wasn't going to fight to get the attention back. He didn't need to, Dirk eyes always drifted back to him, and the friendly smile would be back and then it wouldn't be long until the girl was gone and it was back to the dynamic duo. Just like a game of chess ends in checkmate, it didn't matter how you got there, that was how it would end each time.

**He was the one that kept Dirk balanced.** Dirk was a bouncing ball of energy, full of extraordinary ideas and crazy plans. Al was more cynical and sarcastic, with many of the same ideas, but at the same time, keeping an eye out for the ones that wouldn't work or would get them killed. He balanced Dirk out, and made them an unstoppable team in the end.

**At the end of the day, Al always welcomed him back.** It was like clockwork. Dirk would leave with whatever woman had accompanied them that time; right when the job was done, the treasure found, day saved, yadda yadda. Anywhere between a few days to a few months, Dirk would get restless and come back, bright smile and quick charm, announcing that he was ready for the next job! And Al would smile, careful not to mention the woman he just left, just happy to have his best friend back at his side, for however long until the next one came along.

**There were 5 things that one had to know about Dirk:**

**He could seduce almost anyone with his white smile and smooth voice. **He had known this fact from the mere age of fourteen when he had nearly gone all the way with Amy Baxter from his history class. If they hadn't have been interrupted by Al at that exact moment…he knows what would have happened. And while he was angry for a while after that incident, at the same time he was relieved. However it had came as a shock when right before going off to Africa he had caught himself unconsciously using the same tactics he used to flirt with women, on Al. Luckily for him Al had remained oblivious and then Eva had come along and for a while he had been content with her.

**If he was going to have someone watching his back, he'd rather it be Al, then some muscle machine he had never met before. **The Admiral had only split them up once before, and with nearly disastrous consequences. He hadn't told anyone, not even Al the entire story, but it was an experience he never wanted to repeat. There was only one person he trusted enough to watch his back, even clinging to the edge of a boat, trying not to get shot at, while his best friend weaved through the water, shielding him with the side of the boat, and that was Al.

**He always got the girl. **That's just how it happened. Al got a new favourite hat that Dirk bought for him at the nearest store as soon as the job was over and Dirk; well Dirk got to rescue the damsel in distress. Even if they did only stay together long enough for him to get restless and _pine_, yes, pine, for the boat and the adrenaline and Al.

**Dirk was a mess when Al wasn't around. **The two worked like ying and yang, up and down, campfires and s'mores. It wasn't just out in the field, but in their time off, they automatically sought each other out, taking reassurance in each other's company. Dirk remembers a time when Al had to travel to Chicago for the Admiral and Dirk had been laid up in bed with a fever, too sick to go with him. He'd never realised just how much he needed Al's presence in his life, until that one week where he had been left to his own devices. Not even bothering the Admiral or beating Rudy at poker could bring him out of his slump.

**Dirk always went back to Al.** At the end of the day, week, month, year- whenever he realised he actually wasn't interested in the latest woman with the adrenaline rush gone, Al always welcomed him back with open arms. No matter how long he'd be gone, or how sudden he'd left. Even if he hadn't heard from Dirk in a month, he still welcomed Dirk back like he'd never left. And while Dirk never actually told him why he kept coming back, Al never pried, which he was eternally thankful for, because really- how do you tell your best friend that you think you may be falling in love with them?

**One thing to know about them both:**

**Expressing emotions was something neither was very good at. **They may have been a little slow with their emotions, but with the reality of how short life was shoved in their faces, with Al laying in a hospital bed, gunshot to the chest, both were quick to move to begin a relationship together that had been in the making since the beginning.

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Read and Review please! Reviews are love! 


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